Easter Dinner
by bluesimageburgundy
Summary: Post no-humanity storyline. Steroline. Awkward Easter dinner followed by chilling in Stefan's room.
1. Chapter 1

"Because, Damon," Elena explained, "We're trying to reintroduce your mother back into society and Easter dinner is a good place to start."

"No, I know WHY you're doing it, Elena," Damon replied, "I just think it's extraordinarily STUPID."

Elena exhaled loudly in frustration and continued setting the table. Stefan listened to them bicker, nursing a tumbler of whiskey while sitting on the couch. The dishes clanged angrily together. The cabinets slammed loudly. Stefan narrowed his eyes at the noise, his head still sensitive after his recent blood binging.

He turned to the stairs as his mother descended into the living room. His mother. It was so strange. He still wasn't making the connection that the woman now throwing him a polite smile as she crossed into the kitchen was actually his mother. She was dressed in modern clothes but she still looked like she didn't belong here. He smiled back. It felt empty. Everything did. He tossed back the last of his drink.

The heavy front door creaked open then, drawing Stefan's attention. He stood as Bonnie walked in carrying pans of food, followed by Caroline, juggling wine and more food. He hustled over to help them, taking half of Bonnie's load and the awkward wine bottle that was about to fall from Caroline's grasp.

"Thanks," Bonnie said as she made her way to the kitchen.

Stefan and Caroline froze as their eyes met in the now empty living room.

"Hey," Stefan finally managed to awkwardly mutter.

"Hey," Caroline answered, in barely a whisper.

She was quiet. And small. In flat shoes and a baggy sweater over her dress. Her hair in her face. Trying to hide. Trying to disappear. He knew because he felt the same.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come," he admitted.

"Well, Elena wouldn't really take 'no' for an answer, so…" Caroline attempted to joke, but the smile didn't quite make it to her face.

"Matt and Tyler…?" Stefan asked, the question loaded.

"Couldn't make it, I guess" Caroline answered quickly. Answering the question that was on Stefan's mind…which was, had Caroline talked to either of them since the….incident at the bar. And the answer seemed to be no.

Stefan nodded and allowed her to walk past him into the kitchen. The mood in there was no less heavy. Everyone was sitting down to dinner. Chairs sliding across hardwood floors. Silverware clattering as napkins were placed upon laps. The sounds of food and chewing masking the silence.

Damon's eyes nervous on their mother. Their mother's eyes hungrily on Bonnie. Bonnie's eyes nervous toward Damon. Elena's eyes darting between the three of them. Caroline's eyes toward her plate, watching her fork chase a pea around with no intention of catching it. And Stefan's eyes on Caroline.

After what seemed like hours, everyone was done pretending to eat. Lily excused herself to her room, after a last lingering look at Bonnie. Who then immediately turned her eyes to Damon in horror.

"So, did you invite me for dinner, or AS dinner?" Bonnie whispered angrily.

"Don't look at me, Witchy! It was her idea!" Damon shot back, pointing in Elena's direction.

"I just thought we should give her chance to prove that she's changed," Elena pouted, batting her lashes at Damon, who softened immediately.

"Unbelievable," Bonnie muttered.

Stefan, the tension becoming too much for him, abandoned the sink full of dishes he was working on while listening to his brother argue with his two girls, and made his way back to the living room.

Caroline was sitting on the couch, fiddling with her daylight ring. Stefan didn't remember ever seeing so awkward. So out of her element. He sat next to her wordlessly. She had the decency to look up at him as he did.

More clattering dishes and splashing water, then more arguing. Doors slamming. Caroline scrunched up her nose at the noise. Stefan couldn't help but smile a little at the adorable sight.

"Sorry, kids," Damon's voice interrupted, "It looks like the egg hunt…is cancelled."

He gestured toward the front door where Bonnie had stormed out and to the back door where Elena had stormed out, before dropping his arms in defeat and walking back to the kitchen.

Stefan and Caroline exchanged a look, and for a second, it felt like it used to. When they were allies against the world.

"He's got a mess," Caroline commented, talking about the dishes from dinner.

"I'll say," Stefan replied, talking about the increasing tension between Damon, Elena and Bonnie.

Caroline smiled all too briefly before her face fell again. Silence settled back around them.

"You're quiet," Stefan commented, "You, know, for you." He teased.

Caroline didn't have the energy to shove him, just rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I feel…" she struggled to find the words, "I guess I just feel…"

"Like a ghost?" Stefan finished for her, knowing the feeling because he was feeling the same.

"Yeah," she admitted.

Stefan watched her eyes fall back to her hands, twisting her ring around her finger again.

"I'm not ready to do this yet, Stefan," she said suddenly.

The words stung him but he kept a straight face. He swallowed hard and nodded. He had hoped that they would pick up where they had left off, moving away from friendship and toward something more. Hearing that she didn't want the same, hurt even more than he expected it would.

"Talk, I mean," she clarified, seemingly reading his mind, "About what…happened."

Stefan tried to hide his relief. He reached out to cover her fidgeting hands with his own. She seemed to calm immediately. He hadn't forgotten the calming effect that they had on one another. The self-imposed exile from one another they'd been torturously carrying out didn't make sense. They needed each other. They had for so long now.

"I get it," he said, squeezing her hand just a bit, "But, I'm here. I told you I would be here when you let it all back in. And I'm here. Whenever you're ready."

She looked up then, finally. Tears glittering bright in her already shimmering blue eyes. An actual smile playing at her lips.

Elena stormed back in then, slamming the heavy door behind her, sending dust floating through the air and candlesticks rattling on the mantle. Stefan and Caroline winced in unison.

"Headaches?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah, all the time since….well," she stopped, sticking by her resolution not to talk about it yet.

"Do you wanna go up to my room?" Stefan asked suddenly.

Caroline raised an eyebrow at him.

He chuckled nervously.

"I mean, do you want to come hang out in my room? Listen to music? Play cards? Drink until we're no longer conscious of whatever the hell is going on in my kitchen?" The last sentence was punctuated with the sound of a glass shattering.

Caroline giggled, wiping her eyes, "Yeah, that sounds great."

Stefan stood, extending his hand down to her. He felt relief flow through him as she laid her hand into his and allowed him to pull her from the couch and lead her up to his room.

"Going to hang out in a boy's bedroom," Caroline mused, "I feel so…seventeen."

Stefan looked back at her with a smile and realized that she had that effect on him.

"Me too," he said sincerely, squeezing her hand tighter. Grateful that she was giving him a chance to make good on his promise to her.

"Well have to leave the door open. My mom's home," Stefan said with straight face.

Caroline erupted into a fit of surprised giggles, tinged with the newness of her returning emotions and it was the most beautiful sound Stefan had ever heard.


	2. Chapter 2

"The Zombies or The Turtles?" Stefan asked, flipping through his records.

"You pick," Caroline said, perching on the edge of Stefan's bed and looking around his dimly lit room.

"Zombies, it is," he announced, slipping the record on and carefully lowering the needle. The music was foreign to Caroline but she enjoyed as it filled the air around them.

_What more can I do  
You know I'd gladly loose myself to you  
But something always holds me back  
I wish I knew what it is that stops me from loving you  
The way it should be_

Caroline tried not to notice the weight of the lyrics and turned her face quickly away when Stefan met her eyes, obviously noticing the same thing.

She felt strangely nervous as he sat next to her, the bed dipping slightly with his weight. The music enveloped them, creating a strange atmosphere.

"I feel like we should be like…smoking doobies or something," Caroline said.

Stefan laughed, "Doobies, Caroline?"

"I don't know!" she said, laughing.

"I think we might have something growing downstairs in the vervain room if you want," Stefan joked.

"Shut up!" she said, laughter lighting up her face. She shoved him gently, and when he moved back, his arm was touching hers. Warmth spread through her where they were connected. Quick images of their bare skin sliding against each other flashed across Caroline's mind and she felt her cheeks warm

Stefan must have been thinking the same because he swallowed and looked away. Caroline smiled at the shy gesture.

"Stefan, I'm going to ask you something and I want you to be completely honest with me…," she said suddenly.

His head looked to her quickly and his eyes were serious, ready for whatever she was about to say.

"DO you own a blacklight poster?" she asked, her face straight but her eyes glittering playfully.

Stefan wore an expression of relief mixed with disappointment and smiled before gently hitting Caroline with one of his heavy feather pillows. She giggled as a few feathers floated in the air around them.

When he laid back onto his bed, she couldn't help but join him. Tension filled the air around them, but along with it, was the comfort of one another's company. Something she hadn't even realized she needed so badly until now. It terrified her for a moment how crippled she'd been without him. And how centered and at-peace she felt with him.

Stefan's fingers tickling her own brought her out of her thoughts. She watched as he slowly laced their fingers together and squeezed her's gently. They looked good together. She had always figured they might. Feeling Stefan's eyes on her, she looked up to find his intense green gaze on her.

"Thanks for hanging out with me," he said, his rich, deep voice vibrating the pillow under her head.

"Anytime," she said, smiling and glancing at his lips as she turned on her side to face him.

He smiled and leaned forward, his lips brushing against hers.

"Caroline, I'm so sorry!" Bonnie said, popping from the hallway and swinging with one frantic arm into the doorway, "I stormed out and completely forgot that I was your ride!"

Stefan and Caroline quickly scooted away from each other. Stefan cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his hair. Caroline sat up and smoothed her dress.

"Oh my god!" Bonnie exclaimed, covering her face and backing out of the room.

"It is never-ending in this house!" she complained, walking away.

"Bonnie, wait!" Caroline, laughed.

"We're just hanging out, listening to music, you want to join us?" Stefan asked.

"Join you?" Bonnie asked, smiling playfully.

Caroline blushed and giggled.

"Stefan's trying to peer pressure me into listening to rock n roll and smoking doobies," Caroline joked. Stefan chuckled and rolled his eyes.

Bonnie looked between the pair, smiling goofily at one another. She rolled her eyes and smiled at the ground.

"….uh huh," she said, "Well, as tempting as that sounds, I can't really deal with being here after being here for six months and that never-ending dinner tonight. Plus, I like my blood right where it is. So…thanks! But I'll pass."

Stefan and Caroline nodded in unison and then locked eyes, reluctant to say goodbye.

"I could take you home later, or you could…stay, here…I have an extra room or four?" Stefan offered, shyly.

Caroline smiled.

"Next time," she said, a promise.

"I'm gonna hold you to that," Stefan said, giving Caroline's hand a final squeeze before dropping it to allow her to follow Bonnie from the room.

"You guys are so cute," Bonnie teased as they excited the mansion.

"Ugh!" Caroline said, covering her face in embarrassment and laughing.

Caroline felt her nothingness being replaced by something. The fact that Stefan had been able to lift her out of weeks of sadness in just a few hours…it wasn't scary now. She didn't want to hide. She wasn't a ghost. She was alive. Somehow even more so than ever.


End file.
